Dozer moldboard auxiliary device



Sept. 6 1955 H. A. MULLIN DOZER MOLDBOARD AUXILIARY DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 50, 1950 INVENTOR H. A. MULLI N ATTORNEY P 6 1955 H. A. MULLIN DOZER MOLDBOARD AUXILIARY DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 50, 1950 INVENTOR H.A M U LLl N ATTORNEY Sept. 6 1955 DOZER MOLDBOARD AUXILIARY DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 50, 1950 INVENTOR H. A. MULLlN ATTORNEY United States Patent DOZER MOLDBOARD AUXILIARY DEVICE Henry A. Mullin, Albuquerque, N. Mex.

Application June 30, 1950, Serial No. 171,482

Claims. (Cl. 37-145) (Granted under Title 35, U. 5. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes throughout the world, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an auxiliary device secured to a dozer moldboard to adapt the dozer to forest-clearing purposes, such as uprooting trees, removing and piling slash in forests, cutting brush roots underground and accumulating the brush in a windrow, and pushing over trees or snags.

In general, according to the invention, the auxiliary device comprises a bracket with means for mounting it on the moldboard of a usual type dozer. The bracket extends forwardly and downwardly of the moldboard and has means thereon for removably securing various attachments thereto at its forward end, including a rooter point for uprooting small trees and breaking up hard or rocky soil, a skid for skidding over the land surface to hold the dozer blade adjacent the surface, a root-cutting blade for travel below the land surface to cut brush roots, together with a deflector plate carried forwardly of the moldboard for deflecting the brush sidewise into a windrow, and a power-operated tree pusher.

In apparatus of this type it is highly important to apply attachments to the moldboard of a dozer in such a way that a minimum of power is required to operate the apparatus and that the apparatus be not subject to clogging and entanglement of the materials being worked. Therefore, one of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved auxiliary device for a moldboard of a dozer which is highly efficient in operation and trouble-free in service and especially adapted to the working of hard and rocky ground.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a series of auxiliary scarifier brackets or teeth for a dozer moldboard arranged in such a manner that there will be free unobstructed movement of the materials being worked over the material engaging surface of the. moldboard.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel socket mounting means for a scarifier bracket or tooth on the moldboard of dozer which provides the sole means for securing the bracket or tooth in operative position and without in any way obstructing the free flow of the materials being worked by the moldboard.

For a detail description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a three-dimensional view showing one end of a dozer moldboard with a bracket mounted thereon and having the rooter point attached to the bracket;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, except that the rooter point is removed;

Figure 3 is a three-dimensional view showing the opposite end of the dozer moldboard to that shown in Figure 1, with a bracket mounted thereon and having the skid attached to the bracket;

Figure 4 is a three-dimensional view showing the dozer ice moldboard with four brackets mounted thereon and carrying the root-cutting blade and deflector plate; and

Figure 5 is a three-dimensional view showing the dozer moldboard with four brackets mounted thereon and car- I rying the power-operated tree pusher.

In each of the figures, 11 represents the moldboard and 12 the blade of a usual type dozer.

The scarifier bracket or tooth 15 and its mounting on the moldboard are the same in each of the figures. Four similar brackets are normally used, only one of which will be described in detail.

A means for mounting the bracket is provided by an aperture 16 through the moldboard and a tubular socket 17 aligned with the aperture and rigidly secured to the rearward side of the moldboard. A rearwardly extending shank portion of the bracket extends through the aperture and into the socket and is attached in the socket by a horizontal pin 20. The shank portion is of lesser vertical dimension than the socket and is tightly mounted in the socket by means of a tapered key 21 driven into the socket between the upper edge of the shank and upper wall of the socket. This socket and wedge arrangement provides the sole means for individually rigidly supporting each tooth in operative position on the moldboard of the dozer. Further stability is obtained in absorbing the rearward thrust from the bracket by holding the rear surface of the downwardly extending portion of the bracket in abutting contact with the lower portion of the blade 12 of the moldboard. The leading edge of the bracket, beginning at its material engaging and attachment carrying point, is provided with a gradual taper and then a steeper taper relative to ground level and finally terminating in a radius at a point adjacent to where the tooth shank enters the moldboard socket so that large rocks may roll or slide up the tapered portions so as to keep a live load moving as the dozer moves ahead.

At its forward end, the bracket is provided with a bolt aperture 25, so that various type attachments may be removably secured thereto, Figure 1 showing a rooter point 26 slipped over the forward end of the bracket and secured with a bolt 27. This rooter point is of significant aid when using the dozer in hard or rocky soil and for uprooting small trees. The point tends to draw the dozer blade into operative position and hold it, thus avoiding the tendency to ride over hard soil.

In Figure 3 skid 30, removably secured to the bracket in a similar manner, is provided with a removable skid runner 31 which is also reversible so that it may be turned end for end when the front portion becomes worn.

In Figure 4 the several brackets are provided with a horizontal root-cutting blade 35 removably secured below the several brackets at their forward ends, as by mounting on the bottom of a boot 36 to be slipped over the brackets and attached thereto as illustrated. A deflector plate 37 is additionally mounted forward of the moldboard and in a proper angular position to deflect the I brush to one side. As the dozer moves forwardly, the

root-cutting blade travels slightly below the land surface and cuts the brush roots. The brush is deflected sidewise by the deflector plate and accumulated in a windrow.

In Figure 5, a conventional type fluid pressure operated pusher 40 having tines 41 at its forward end to engage against a tree is pivotally mounted at its lower end to a cross member 42 removably secured to the two intermediate brackets, as by being secured to boots 43 and 44 slipped over the brackets, brace rods 45 and 46 attached to a collar 47 loosely surrounding the pusher, serving to hold the pusher against side sway. Cable 48 fastened to the upper end of the pusher runs back to the dozer and may be operated in any convenient manner (not shown) to lower or raise the forward end of the pusher. Fluid pressure hose 49 leads to any convenient source of fluid pressure.

A downwardly and rearwardly ground-engaging prong 50 is secured at the bottom of each bracket.

In operation the tines 41 are made to engage the tree at any convenient height. As fluid pressure is admitted to move the tines forwardly, the prongs 50 engage into the soil. This exerts an upward and horizontal force on the tree, thus to fell it in a desired direction.

I claim:

1. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer, a blade portion having an edge on the bottom of said moldboard, a mounting socket including an upper wall fixed to the rear surface of said moldboard above said blade portion and below the top edge of said moldboard, a bracket, means for securing said bracket in said socket on said moldboard comprising a horizontally disposed wedge between the upper edge of said bracket and said upper wall of said socket, a forwardly and downwardly extending portion on said bracket having a horizontal bottom surface for slidingly engaging the ground surface to be worked, an attachment device removably secured to said forwardly and downwardly extending portion and said bottom surface of said bracket, and an inclined abutment surface on the rear of said forwardly and downwardly extending portion located below said mounting means engaging the front of said blade portion of the moldboard of said dozer.

2. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer, a blade portion having an edge on the bottom of said moldboard, a mounting socket including an upper wall fixed to the rear surface of said moldboard above said blade portion and below the top edge of said moldboard, a bracket, means for securing said bracket in said socket on said moldboard comprising a horizontally disposed wedge between the upper edge of said bracket and said upper wall of said socket, a forwardly and downwardly extending digger tooth portion on said bracket having a horizontal bottom surface, and an inclined abutment surface on the rear of said digger tooth portion located below said mounting means and engaging the front face of said blade portion of the moldboard.

3. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer comprising a blade on said moldboard, a bracket, a shank portion on said bracket, a mounting socket including an upper wall fixed to the rear surface of said moldboard intermediate the bottom cutting blade and the top edge of said moldboard adapted to receive the shank portion of said bracket for securing said bracket against sidewise swinging movement on said moldboard, locking means comprising a horizontally disposed wedge between the upper edge of said shank and said upper wall for said socket for rigidly holding said bracket shank in, said socket, a forwardly and downwardly extending portion on said bracket terminating in a material engaging and attachment carrying point, and an abutment surface on the rear of said forwardly and downwardly extending portion below said mounting socket adapted to engage the front face of the blade portion of said moldboard.

4. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer comprising a blade on said moldboard, a bracket, a shank portion on said bracket, a mounting socket including an upper wall fixed to the rear surface of said moldboard intermediate the bottom cutting blade and the top edge of said moldboard and terminating in a flush opening in the front surface of said moldboard adapted to receive the shank portion of said bracket, locking means comprising a horizontally disposed wedge between the upper edge of said shank and said upper wall of said socket for securing said shank against sidewise rotary movement in said socket, a forwardly and downwardly extending portion on said bracket terminating in a material engaging and attachment carrying point, and an abutment surface on the rear portion of said downwardly and forwardly sloping portion of said bracket below said mounting socket, adapted to abuttingly engage the blade portion of said moldboard.

5. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer comprising, a blade on the bottom edge of said moldboard, a bracket, a rectangular horizontal shank portion formed on said bracket, a mating rectangular horizontal mounting socket fixed to and projecting from the rear surface of said moldboard between said bladeand the top edge of said moldboard and located in alignment with a flush opening in said moldboard, a tapered bearing surface formed in the upper edge of said rectangular socket, and a horizontal wedge member adapted to be placed between said last mentioned surface and the top of said shank with its large end projecting outwardly from the front face of said moldboard for rigidly securing said shank in said socket.

6. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer comprising, a blade on the bottom edge of said moldboard, a bracket, a rectangular horizontal shank portion formed on said bracket, a mating rectangular horizontal mounting socket fixed to and projecting from the rear surface of said moldboard between said blade and the top edge of said moldboard and located in alignment with a flush opening in said moldboard, a tapered bearing surface formed in the upper edge of said rectangular socket, and a horizontal wedge member adapted to be placed between said last mentioned surface and the top of said shank with its large end projecting outwardly from the front face of said moldboard for rigidly securing said shank in said socket, a forwardly and downwardly extending portion on said bracket terminating in a material engaging point having a horizontal bottom surface, and an inclined abutment surface on the rear portion of the forwardly and downwardly extending portion of said bracket located below said mounting socket normally held in abut ting contact with the moldboard of said dozer when said shank is secured in said socket.

7. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer comprising means for independently securing a plurality of scarifier teeth or brackets to the moldboard having a blade on the bottom edge of said moldboard, a plurality of rectangular horizontally disposed sockets secured to and projecting from the rear of said moldboard between said blade and the top edge of said moldboard and terminating in flush openings in said moldboard, a plurality of separate bracket teeth having rectangular horizontal shanks adapted to be received in said sockets, and means for locking each of said shanks in said sockets to provide the sole means for individually securing each of said brackets to said moldboard comprising a horizontally disposed wedge interacting vertically between said shank and said socket by rearward horizontal movement of said wedge.

8. An auxiliary device for the moldboard of a dozer comprising means for independently securing a plurality of scarifier teeth to the moldboard having a blade on the bottom edge of said moldboard, a plurality of rectangular horizontally disposed sockets secured to and projecting from the rear of said moldboard between said blade and the top edge of said moldboard and terminating in flush openings in said moldboard, a plurality of separate bracket teeth having rectangular horizontal shanks adapted to be received in said sockets, and means for locking each of said shanks in said sockets to provide the sole means for individually securing each of said brackets to said moldboard comprising a horizontally disposed wedge interacting vertically between said shank and said socket by rearward horizontal movement of said wedge, a downwardly and forwardly extending portion from said shank terminating in a material engaging and attachment supporting point for each of said brackets having a horizontal ground engaging bottom surface, and an abutment surface on the rear portion of said downwardly and forwardly extending portion below the shank portion of each of said brackets adapted to be normally held in an abutting engagement with the cutting blade of the moldboard when said shanks are secured in said sockets.

9. In an auxiliary tooth device for a dozer moldboard, a blade on the bottom edge of said moldboard, means for securing said tooth to the moldboard including, a rectangular horizontally disposed socket member rigidly secured to and projecting from the rear face of the moldboard and located intermediate said blade and the top of said moldboard, a flush opening in the face of the moldboard in alignment with said socket, a digging tooth having a mating rectangular horizontal shank adapted to be received by said socket, horizontal wedge means for securing said shank in said socket, transverse pin means in the rear portion of said socket and shank for further positively locking said shank against movement in said socket, and an angularly disposed abutment surface on said shank below said socket adapted to engage said blade on said moldboard.

10. In an auxiliary tooth device for a dozer moldboard, a blade on the bottom edge of said moldboard, means for securing said tooth to the moldboard including, a rectangular horizontally disposed socket member rigidly secured to and projecting from the rear face of the moldboard and intermediate said blade and the top of said moldboard, a flush opening in the face of the moldboard in alignment with said socket, a digging tooth having a mating rectangular horizontal shank adapted to be received by said socket, horizontal wedge means for securing said shank in said socket, transverse pin means in the rear portion of said socket and shank for further positively locking said shank against movement in said socket, and an angularly disposed abutment surface on said shank below said socket adapted to engage said blade on said moldboard, a digging point having a horizontal ground engaging bottom surface formed on the outer end of said bracket adapted to receive a series of auxiliary attachments in such a manner that the downward pressure of the operation of said attachments is directly absorbed by the engagement of said angularly disposed abutment surface of said tooth with the cutting blade portion of said moldboard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,319,058 Fitzpatrick Oct. 21, 1919 2,173,406 Wilkinson Sept. 19, 1939 2,262,415 Williams et al Nov. 11, 1941 2,281,928 Fletcher May 5, 1942 2,295,458 Edwards Sept. 8, 1942 2,309,223 Staring Jan. 26, 1943 2,322,115 Cox et al June 15, 1943 2,354,560 Troup July 25, 1944 2,497,351 Fletcher Feb. 14, 1950 2,625,870 Peacock Ian. 20, 1953 2,634,520 Foster Apr. 14, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 937,195 France Aug. 10, 1948 

